Jan. 31--Two 23-year-old men have been charged with using a stolen van to drive through a store window to commit a smash-and-grab burglary at a Northwest Side pawn shop Saturday, officials said.
Daniel Gonzalez, of the 3200 block of North Austin Boulevard, and Adrian Duran, of the 5900 block of West Roscoe Avenue, were charged with burglary, receiving/possession of a stolen vehicle and possession of a controlled substance, Chicago police said Sunday. Judge James Brown set both of their bonds at $250,000.
Police responded to a burglary call at a business on the 5400 block of West Belmont Avenue in the Cragin neighborhood at 5:50 a.m. Saturday, where officers found the business' front glass window shattered and the suspects scrambling to get away, according to assistant state's attorney Marilyn Salas-Wail.
Gonzalez escaped on foot while Duran attempted to drive away in the van that had been used to crash through the front window of the store, Salas-Wail said.
Police, however, caught up with Duran less than a mile away in the 5900 block of West School, where he crashed the van into a parked car. When officers arrested Duran, they also found a clear baggie of 42 pills of Xanax in the front pocket of his pants, with a street value of $420, according to a police report.
Gonzalez, a Northern Illinois University student, was later arrested at his home, Salas-Wail said. He has two other pending felony charges for burglary and retail theft, Salas-Wail said.
Duran had no other criminal history, she said.
Both defendants later admitted they took the van from a Dunkin' Donuts parking lot. Surveillance cameras captured footage of the defendants crashing through the window and attempting to break the pawn shop's display case.
Duran and Gonzalez are expected to return to court on Feb. 5.
